1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ionization techniques and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for imparting motion to ions and ionizable matter, and the like.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Various systems for extracting thrust for space vehicles from ion beams have been proposed. All of these proposals, however, have necessarily relied on the application of a direct current to some portion of an ionizable material that is carried aloft in the vehicle. Clearly, a device of the foregoing sort requires a mechanism for supplying ionizable matter to an ion generator at some preestablished rate. An ion accelerator is needed to impart motion to these ions in order to produce the required reactive thrust for the space vehicle.
In other fields, of which plasma physics and controlled fusion reactions are typical, a need exists to force ions to move or migrate in some preferred direction. For instance, it may be necessary to contain ions within or exclude them from a particular volume. In this regard, controlled fusion "mirror" devices of which "Tabletop" is typical, experience charged particle leakage through the mirror regions. These "mirror" devices are well known to plasma physicists and a typical "mirror" system is described on page 214 et seq. of the text Nuclear Fusion, D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc., Princeton, New Jersey, 1960, edited by William P. Allis. This loss tends to degrade the plasma concentration within the device and thereby result in an unsuitable, low efficiency system.
There is a further need in fusion technology to have a relatively uncomplicated means for effectively heating plasma to a high level of excitation.
Photons, or gamma rays, are frequently used for industrial purposes. Ordinarily, radioactive isotopes (cobalt 60, for example) or X-ray machines provide the source of radiation needed for the purpose in question, be it for medical uses or for some other purpose. The energy and intensity of this emitted radiation, however, is determined by the characteristics of the isotope or the "target" within the X-ray machine. It should be noted in this regard, that X-ray machines also are direct current devices, inasmuch as they rely on the impact of an electron beam on the target to produce the desired radiation output.